The twist in the tale!

This post is in continuation to previous post. You can read it here---------->The reason!

Rahul’s room was at the fourth floor at the end of a long corridor that had a sickly sweet smell like all other hospitals. Ashima, assuming herself to be guilty for all this rushed immediately to the hospital.

‘Rahul Chopra!!’ she asked nervously to the man sitting at the hospital reception.

‘He is room number 410, fourth floor.’ He said after scanning thoroughly in his patient register.

Without wasting a single minute she rushed towards the elevator. She reached the room; outside she saw his father Mr. Praveen standing. He had phoned her and informed about the accident. He was talking to the doctor, he looked extremely worried.

‘How is he now?’ asked Ashima gasping for breath.

‘Don’t worry, he will be fine. He is out of danger now. It’s a miracle that he was not killed. He survived with a possible concussion, and injured right arm.’

After hearing this, Ashima felt a sigh of relief and sat down on the wooden bench near the window. Mr. Chopra greeted her and thanked her for coming. She was eager to know the reason why Rahul went away from her home.

‘What about his friend Gaurav? Is he fine?’ she sprang up and asked the doctor.

‘Yeah, a little more injured than Rahul. But he will be fine too.’ Doctor said assuring her and left.  

 ‘But how did it all happen?’ Ashima turned to Praveen.

‘They were driving on the wrong lane.’ He said.

‘When can we meet them?’

‘After some time, doctor will notify when we could see them.’ He said in a low voice.

Ashima had known him, not personally but at few of her visits to lavish parties where her father used to take her along with him. She had always hated those parties. Boring, as she thought with few old men dressed in their old fashioned business suites drinking away their busy and stressed heads. She saw Praveen sitting on the bench. The corridor was busy with the nurses and doctors crossing it every other minute. The time passed by and so was the curiosity that increased in the mind of Ashima. She wanted to meet Rahul, at least once. After all she assumed herself to be behind this all. If I wouldn’t have called them for lunch, this would have never happened. Her thoughts were taking over her brain.

Twenty minutes later, the nurse came and informed them that they could meet the patient, but only one person was allowed. Praveen directed Ashima to go and meet him. He knew that his presence would disturb his already ailing son.

Rahul was in bed. His face was pale with a large adhesive plaster on his forehead. Gaurav lay in a bed next to him.  Ashima stepped in silently, closing the door behind her. She moved carefully inside making sure not to make any noise from her footsteps.  She came close to him and called out his name.

There was no response from him, except movement of few fingers. Ashima was happy to know that he would be alright. She called out his name again, nothing happened except the fingers moved a little. She came out of the room silently. Praveen was standing outside waiting for her. he wanted to know that he was alright or not.

‘What happened, is he alright?’ asked Praveen in agitation.

‘Yeah, he will be!!’ Ashima’s voice trembled. Praveen was looking at his son like a loser father. He wanted his son back to him. Whatever the differences had been created because of misunderstandings, he wanted to forget them all and hug his son right away.

She was curious to know the reason behind all the mess that had been created and her curiosity getting more and more intense as she looked at Praveen.

‘Visitor time over, only one can stay’ a ward boy said as he swept across the corridor.

Ashima looked at Praveen, he was about to say something but it seemed so much difficult for him. There was a pin drop silence for a while.

‘You go uncle, I will stay’ Ashima said breaking the silence. Praveen rejoiced as if she had read his mind and spoke what he intended to say to her.

‘Oh thank you so much, Ashima, I would be grateful…….’ He was interrupted in between.

‘O c’mon Uncle, it’s completely fine’ she hid her curiosity under an assurance.

He stood up and saw his son from the round glass window on the main door, passed on a look to Ashima, just about to say something again. Take care of him. He wanted to say with his pleading eyes but his words fell in silence in the air. He moved towards the elevator and left. Ashima stood there outside the room, watching Rahul’s bare chest rising and falling as he breathed through the oxygen mask. There were several things that ran in her mind. Why did he leave from her home so disturbed? Why his father didn’t go in to see his son? She called her mother informing her stay at the hospital that night. 

To be continued...... :) provide your feedback below :)